Who We Are:
We are a Citywide organization of residents concerned for our City’s future. We are actively involved in issues that are in agreement with our Principles and Goals as we strive to keep Palo Alto a unique place for raising families and fostering business innovation.
Our Mission:
Palo Altans for Sensible Zoning (PASZ) is a grass roots, political action committee dedicated to a high quality of life for Palo Alto residents and the innovative spirit that has made Palo Alto unique. We are for sensible land use planning and development and will continue to be advocates for mitigating the negative impacts of excessive development.
Our Vision:
We envision a dynamic Palo Alto that remains a family-oriented community with excellent schools, infrastructure and community services. Technology and business innovation are part of Palo Alto’s heritage and should be fostered. We envision a City that is not overwhelmed by excessive development. We value diversity, our historic resources, our neighborhoods, parks and open spaces, and support projects that enhance our quality of life
Our Goals:
- Ensure that the pace of development does not outstrip our infrastructure, schools and City services, or compromise the beauty and character of our City.
- Encourage Housing that Allows for a Diverse Economic Population
- Maintain our Community as a Great Place to Live
PASZ NEWS
EDITOR’S NOTE: The opinions expressed in the news items cited here do not necessarily represent the opinion of Palo Altans for Sensible Zoning. We try to present a balanced picture of the news on the subjects of housing and legislation.
California is cracking down on NIMBY cities.
By Emily Hoeven
Faced with a statewide housing crisis, California has increasingly moved to muscle NIMBY local governments into building against their will. But when it comes to building desperately needed housing, California’s government isn’t just the arbiter of state laws — it’s also a vast landholder.
If the state really wants more housing
By Michael Brownrigg and Donna Colsson
We recently critiqued the state housing element process, noting that Sacramento’s reporting requirements result in many hypothetical housing units but few real ones. Here we outline how the state could get more affordable housing actually built in cities.
Housing Unaffordability: How We Got There and What to Do About It
By TOBIAS PETER AND EDWARD J. PINTO
From the end of World War II until 1970, owner-occupied housing was broadly affordable across the entire country. The standard measure for measuring affordability —the price-to-income ratio— was at about 2.8 in 1950, 2.5 in 1960, 2.6 in 1970, 3.4 in 1980, and 4.2 in 2020. This meant that, to a large extent, factors other than housing, such as climate, amenities, and job and economic opportunities, drove migration, which builders were in a position to respond to.
Marin Voice: In fight against excessive housing numbers, our hands are far from tied
By SUSAN KIRSCH
April 21, 2023 at 3:43 p.m.
The threats of a “strike force” coming from Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office; intimidating letters from the Housing and Community Development Department chastising communities for what department considers inadequate housing elements; and well-funded, corporate-serving agencies like the pro-housing group Yes In My Back Yard, as well as it’s legal arm YIMBY Law, are having a stifling impact.
Wiener, the Yimbys, and the 50-story tower
By Zelda Bronstein
April 20, 2023
Up to now, when it comes to development, Scott Wiener and the Yimbys have always agreed that bigger is better. So it’s notable that they’re at odds about the 50-story skyscraper being proposed for 2700 Sloat Boulevard. The Yimbys love it. “It’s so beautiful,” tweeted California Yimby CEO Brian Hanlon over a rendering of the tower. “We think the project is very exciting,”
Wiener is opposed.
LOCAL CONTROL BACKERS ATTEMPTING NEW INITIATIVE
CALIFORNIA FOCUS
FRIDAY, APRIL 14, 2023
BY THOMAS D. ELIAS
Immediately after state legislators passed the landmark SB 9 and 10 in 2021, taking most local land-use decisions away from city councils and county supervisors, resentful local officials vowed to run a referendum campaign and kill those new laws. But the referendum mounted by dozens of local officials never got off the ground that year,.
Catalysts On A Crusade
By Jack Metz April 10, 2023
Early tomorrow morning, residents of numerous California counties will congregate in Sacramento to demand legislators rethink everything about state land use policy. Thanks to the impressive orchestration efforts of Catalysts, a grassroots network based in Mill Valley, dozens of partner organization members will break out into teams and meet with various Capitol decision makers.
9th Circuit issues scathing rebuke of Lorena Gonzalez
By Karen Anderson | The Coast News Group 04-07-2023
“Corruption.” “Backroom dealing.” “Pure spite.” “Naked favoritism.”
These are the words written by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to describe former Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez’s bad behavior when crafting her anti-independent contractor law AB 5 (Assembly Bill 5), enacted in January 2020.